1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lower structure of a vehicle such as an automobile or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Trailing arm brackets are provided on both sides of a lower portion of a vehicle in a vehicle width direction, respectively. A tank lower brace that is utilized to ensure the rigidity of these trailing arm brackets in the vehicle width direction (which is also referred to as a lateral direction) is conventionally known. The longitudinal direction of this brace coincides with the vehicle width direction. This brace is arranged below a fuel tank in a vertical direction of a vehicle body, and each of both ends of the brace in the vehicle width direction is mounted across a corresponding one of the trailing arm brackets and a corresponding one of rockers (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-279951 (JP 2008-279951 A)).
In some cases, however, there is no choice but to curve both the ends of this brace in the vehicle width direction forward with respect to the vehicle body, due to a positional relationship between the brace and the fuel tank. In the case where both the ends of the brace in the vehicle width direction are curved forward with respect to the vehicle body, the brace is urged to be deformed to be bent rearward with respect to the vehicle body, so that the lateral rigidity of the trailing arm brackets may not be ensured. As described hitherto, there is still room of improvement in the brace for ensuring the lateral rigidity of mounting portions (the trailing arm brackets) that are provided on both the sides of the lower portion of the vehicle respectively. It should be noted that the lateral rigidity of the trailing arm bracket means the rigidity of the trailing arm bracket against a load applied in the lateral direction.